Camp Half BloodReturn of the Sky
by Maddie Lemerle
Summary: Meet Skye Lemerle, Alec Hawkins, and Jayson Wynters. They're promising half-bloods who unsuspectingly find themselves in a whole new great prophecy. Follow them and their quest to defeat Gaea. Rated M for romance and violence.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

_Skye Lemerle  
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* * *

><p>Skye was having nightmares again.<p>

It wasn't your average nightmare about your grandmother chasing you with a butcher's knife though; Skye's nightmares were every Half-Blood's worse dream. Dreams filled with bloodshed, monsters running around and in the midst of them all, you holding a sword, looking bewildered and then dying.

The thirteen-year-old girl woke up sweating. She was in a branch-weaved hammock whatcha-m'-call-it hanging from a strong point of a tall oak tree. Carefully removing herself from the tangle of leaves that she had twisted and turned in during her nightmare, Skye held out a hand to the thick branch protruding from the heavy oak and using that as a handhold, she swung herself up unto a wide foothold she'd carved weeks ago.

Carefully placing her slender but strong and calloused hands on the bark, Skye wrapped her feet around the trunk and let herself free fall. When she was just about three feet from the ground, Skye let go and planted her feet in a landing position. When she touched the ground, a shaking of shivers went through her body but she had landed safely, just like her father had told her. Standing up from the kneeling position she'd been in, Skye retrieved her quiver of arrows from the tiny fist-sized knothole in the oak tree.

As she looked up and around at the forest, something told Skye that something wasn't right. The forest didn't seem like its normal quiet side that it had always been. When the monsters would smell her in the forest, they'd come, but Skye had always been ready with the traps she'd create and the arrows she'd send flying from her spot in the canopy. The forest had been her home for what-the last two months?

Skye didn't like to think of her past before that. In fact, being on the run, she'd lost track of time and days and even her age. It was just that day. The day when they took her father away and her mother had disappeared without a trace. The government official people wanted to take her into custody claiming it was just till they could drop her off at a foster home but she knew what they wanted. They blamed her for her father's death and her mother's disappearance. Skye had no idea about what had happened to them but the government people weren't convinced. They needed an answer other then 'I don't know.'

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Skye turned as she peered through the foliage in the forest. _Something isn't right_, she told herself. Staying completely still for one moment, the youth closed her eyes and concentrated.

Skye knew the woods inside out. They were like a home to her for the past month and a half. She'd hunted easily in her territory and found fresh water when needed. Life had been easy here and no government people ever came this way. The forest was her home, and the fact that something seemed to have changed in the atmosphere. Skye could sense it and she forced her concentration to the area around her.

A minute later, she opened her eyes and swallowed, she'd found what she'd wanted through thinking.

"Who'se there?" Skye said in a strong and bold voice. There was no sound except for the slight rustling of leaves at the occasional breeze.

"I said whose there?" Skye narrowed her eyes, as her voice got stronger.

This time, there was a tiny cracking of twig; so natural sounding that any normal person wouldn't have heard it, ignored it, or think it was an animal.

"I know you're there," Skye called, hearing the twig and interpreting its meaning almost the split second the sound had reached her ears.

"Callie! I told you to be quiet!" A young girl's voice flooded the forest with the gentle and sweet tone.

"Yeah, but Hannah was the one who nudged me," a smaller voice grumbled.

"Whatever, it's both your fault for all I care," a slightly older voice said.

"Hush." The single word blew all traces of human speech away. A young woman, slightly taller then Skye and who looked of the age 15, stepped out. A radiant glow shone from her and she looked young and beautiful. Her auburn hair with what looked to be natural golden-colored highlights was in a messy bun but when she undid it, it fell past her shoulders and reached her waist; same length as Skye's. The woman's eyes were a weird green-amber color and Skye couldn't decide which.

"Hello, Skye Lemerle." The woman smiled and it made Skye relax for the first time in her months of survival in the forest. It wasn't the evil smile the monsters would give her when they avoided her traps and came after her, it was a pleasant smile, one Skye hadn't seen in years. Skye's shoulders unstiffened and her whole body relaxed. "Hello, my lady," it seemed like the right thing to address the woman because something inside of Skye stirred. It also seemed right to call the woman a woman because although she looked young, she had wisdom pouring out of her like a fountain overflowing.

From behind pines and cinders and all sorts of trees stepped out about two dozen young girls, all with that special glow and dressed in silver satin and leather garments.

Then suddenly, and very mysteriously, white and silver colored wolves stepped out from behind a few spindly trees that Skye had used to climb. Skye inhaled deeply. The canine race were her passion although she was never allowed one when her she lived with her maniac of a father.

"I can see you want one," the young woman said. Skye's eyebrows moved around as her facial expression changed from surprise, to desire and then to pure joy. "You may have one later. But I know you are wondering why we are here." Skye's expression turned back to serious. She nodded, "I am, miss." "My name is Catherine Chalson. Most call me CC for my initials, though." Skye nodded.

"Violet." CC gestured to a young girl who looked to be about the age of 13. Skye recognized her voice as she said, "hello", as the one who had told the two younger girls off previously.

"Violet is my assistant deputy. She is my right-hand-huntress and keeps us in order under my guidance. Hannah and Callie as you saw before were the two that gave away our position. Your mother, and our patron, Artemis, sent us to find you when she realized her only daughter was in trouble.

"My mother," Skye said softly. She'd never met her mother but the name sounded familiar. Like something she'd hear in her Social Studies class. Then it clicked. All those stories her teacher had told them when they were learning about Ancient Greece made sense. The monsters that were chasing her were the ones described in the tales. Artemis, the woman the girls were telling her was her mother, was the twin goddess in the stories who ruled the night, the moon, the hunt.

"Who are you, then?" Skye asked, only then realizing how rude she must sound.

"Skylar Lemerle, you have much to learn. We are the huntresses of Artemis, her ladies in waiting and the ones who do her bid. We are immortal in terms of aging and we do not die unless we fall in battle. We have the blessing of the hunt and go around killing monsters with the sacred oath of Artemis, not to have relationships with men. But now we see she has broken hers."

Skye frowned, not liking the sound of this. The whole concept didn't seem quite good now. She was the forbidden child of Artemis. Flashbacks of when she was young now were quite visible. The time when she had been thrown into a furnace, the incident where she'd been left behind till her father had come back for her. Now it all made sense. Artemis had been trying to get rid of her and at the same time her father had been mean and cruel to her but still looked after her. All to make sure she survived with Artemis as her mother.

Now it didn't seem so great and exciting anymore. The sudden flashbacks and strong emotions had come at Skye too quickly. Shock began to fill her body and she tensed up. Unable to deal with it anymore, a tiny tear made its way from Skye's eye to her cheek.

"I know what you must be thinking," CC said gently.

"Yeah," Skye didn't believe CC but she agreed just so that the kind lady wouldn't be offended.

"We're going to bring you to Camp Half-Blood," Violet spoke up.

"Yeah! You can sit with me!" Callie ran up to hold Skye's hand.

There were so many questions Skye was pondering. They all came rushing but she was able to hold them back. Skye smiled at the younger girl, brushed a tear away and took a deep breath, "So do all huntresses stay the same age?"

"Well, I'm six, and I was abandoned when I was four. So was Callie, who's my cousin. CC took us in and we're going to learn to be archers when we grow up, just like them!" Hannah cried excitedly.

"I'm seventeen and Violet is thirteen, the majority of our hunters are between the age of fourteen. They'll stay that age and appearance for the rest of their lives -however long that may be- unless they take a fall in battle or break their sacred oath. Now, if you'll excuse us, we must be on our way to Camp Half-Blood," CC said, pointing to a giant Mercedes jeep waiting for them. Skye winced,

"I'm sorry, remind me again what Camp Half-Blood is."

((Hey guys...Firstly, I'm making up these characters and throwing them into the life of half bloods. Okay, so this is my first fan fiction for camp half blood I've ever written. I wrote it ages ago as in like a year ago but never had the chance to finish it or post it online. With the start of my new fan account I decided I'd give publishing it as a post online a try. Check back for the chapters! I promise to post them fast but I also request comments and feedback! It may be confusing at first but you'll get the hang of alternative chapters. If you've read the Lost Hero or Son of Neptune then you'll know what I mean by alternative chapters. It means like the first chapter is about Skye Lemerle, the second is about Alec Hawkins, the third is about Jayson Wynters and the fourth is about Skye Lemerle, fifth Alec, sixth Jayson, seventh Skye...You get the point. But they all are in the same story, same quests, same half blood life. Get it? Sort of...Trust me, you'll get it at the fourth chapter probably. It's an interesting twist to writing forms.

Can't wait for your responses and comments!

~over and out.))


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Alec Hawkins

Alec's team was losing–again.

It wasn't like they won every time. More like, they lost the majority of the games. Capture the Flag definitely wasn't his strength although he wished it were. This time, his team consisted of the Hades cabin –Alec was the only one–, the Demeter cabin –three girls and one boy who played with flowers all game-time–, the Ares cabin –they were the only good one with six tomboys and four teenage boys who went for the kill–, and the Poseidon cabin –they weren't that all bad but there were only two members of the cabin–.

Even now, Alec sat with his legs crossed and his sword dangling from his hand. As he peered down from base built in the canopy of the great oak, Alec spotted a weak spot in the defense line. Calling a command to the Ares girl who was acting as his deputy for the flag defense, Alec jumped down and landed smoothly on the ground. He walked briskly to the weaker link and called the two Poseidon kids –Emily and Jackson– over from a thicker tree line.

"Emily, Jackson!" Alec's voice boomed across the opening.

"Yeah?" Emily jogged towards Alec and Jackson followed her.

"I want you two to guard this area here," Alec lowered his voice as he looked around.

"Sure," Emily said with a smile.

"Whatever you say, captain!" Jackson made a saluting gesture.

Alec shook his head and walked towards the tree line, rolling his eyes when they weren't looking. Something in the tree line caught his attention, though. A glance up to the canopy base told him that from the look in her eyes, the Ares girl had everything under control. Deciding to risk his job as head of flag defense, Alec took his chances and jogged into the tree line, peering around cautiously.

There was a sudden yell and then all hell broke loose. Alec's hunch had been right; dozens of campers had been hiding in there and now they charged towards the canopy.

"Reinforcements!" Alec yelled as he used the flat of his sword like a baseball bat, slamming a few campers into trees and knocking them out.

"Hey!" A camper looked from Alec to a blonde-headed girl with her eyes rolled back into her head and laying at the foot of the tree. "You just knocked out my friend!"

"Yes I did!" Alec growled and stabbing his sword at her.

The girl fought well but Alec's armor was forged at his father's palace and was lightweight as well as strong. Alec quickly swung his sword at her ankles and the girl misjudged the jump over it, sending her sprawling next to her friend.

"Ha!" Alec turned and ran off.

Chaos was everywhere. Emily and Jackson had caused a flood but it went mayhem and there were about twenty campers floating around, some of which were Alec's own team. Emily and Jackson were attempting to do CPR and a few Apollo campers were helping them.

Up at the canopy, the traps with the boxing gloves had done their job but Alec could see the Ares girl had trouble keeping the enemy off. None of them had spotted Alec so the teenage boy spun around, making sure everything was mildly under control if not at the dead-people-stage yet.

Sheathing his sword, Alec ran back into the tree line. He cut across the bush area and plunged into the icy stream, ignoring the cold enter through his legs to the rest of his body with a shiver. Trudging out, he shook himself like a dog and glanced around at his surroundings. From what he knew of the campgrounds, he'd have to go through the deeper forest area to get to the flag in time.

Putting on a burst of speed, Alec pounded through the forest, using his sword to cut through the foliage. When he had finished that final obstacle, his face was cut and his pale blue-gray eyes were dull. Alec's thick black hair had lost its usual wave and it hung damply either over his ears or plastered to his scalp.

Gulping, Alec snuck through some boulders around the canopy base of the opposing team. As he peered over it, he saw that there were only four guards. Grinning, Alec knew he could take them out. Piece of cake, he thought to himself.

"Hey, yo!" Alec leaped over the boulders using one hand to twist himself into a perfect landing position.

Three guards ran towards Alec, charging in a smart military strategy but Alec was prepared. He summoned all his strength and pushed his sword into one, throwing him backwards and at the same time, ducking a blow from the second guard. Turning to the third, he used his favorite move, the baseball bat, and made the guard go flying after his friend.

The second one was probably the most difficult. Alec stabbed his sword at the second but he blocked it. The guard stabbed at Alec's armor and a strap hung loose as the sword knocked against Alec's ribs. The camper swung his and Alec, still recovering, wasn't able to dodge him. The sword reached his helmet and although it was undamaged, Alec was pretty dizzy now. Staggering back, Alec shook his head to clear the nauseous feeling from him as he felt anger rise inside of him. With a yell, he charged at the camper, poking his blade into every empty space there was, but it was the blow at the knees that caused the camper to sink to the ground.

The slight delay was all Alec needed. The fourth guard had bolted up and Alec ran after him, knocking him off the ladder as he pulled himself up painfully to the opposing team's canopy base where the flag was. Not realizing that the team had a slightly higher and different canopy base, Alec's strength soon was wringed out of him. The last rung required every ounce of strength he had.

Gasping for breath, Alec sighed and sighed as he regained a bit of strength to grab the flag. Grinning from ear to ear, he took the risk and jumped off the edge, rolling when he reached the ground to let his shoulder take the impact of the jump.

The guards looked weary but they were smiling slightly to themselves as Alec ran off into the forest. He thought he saw a flash of silver pass by him as he cut through the foliage to run smoother but he decided his tired brain was just imagining it. Alec passed the now familiar landmarks and reached the stream.

He had just plunged in and was still getting over the icy shock when the conch horn sounded. Confusion erupted in Alec's mind as campers rushed past him back to their base. Narrowing his eyes, Alec glanced to his right and then he realized his mistake. The campers smiling were when their team had told them they had the flag and were making a bolt for it. The flash of silver was the flag and its camper, bee lining for their side of the forest.

Alec felt stupid, standing knee deep in cold water holding a miserable and torn flag and looking at his campers in embarrassment.

The last few campers from the opposing team were walking back to their base to collect and drop off different equipment. Alec narrowed his eyes. He'd failed to do his job. He'd let his team down. He was the one who caused his team to lose. If only he'd stayed where he was, maybe, just maybe they could have driven the other team off.

"Hey, Alec! Thought we told you to guard," a brunette girl from Ares snorted. Alec remembered her being appointed the offense leader.

"Well, didn't look like you guys were making any progress," Alec retorted.

"Still, can't believe a fourteen-year-old boy can't obey instructions," the brunette shot back.

Alec was left without a response and held up the flag. "Well, at least I covered more ground then you guys ever would."

This time it was the brunette's time. She rolled her eyes and walked off, nudging her buddies who were glaring at Alec.

Shrugging, Alec trudged back to the dining area. Camp rules had been changed lately and kids from other cabins sat with each other. Unfortunately, that meant that because Alec had no other siblings, he was left alone as usual.

As Alec passed the cabins on his way to the dining hall, he noticed something unusual pass through his gaze. It was a small translucent haze sort of thing but when Alec blinked it was gone. Shrugging to himself, he made his way to an empty table and plopped down on the hard bench.

Chiron cantered into sight and made all the usual announcements. When he'd finished, Alec stood up and walked to the table. The whole hall was bubbling with excitement as campers exchanged words of praise to each other about the game. Alec piled a few servings of dishes unto his plate, a meager amount compared to the other campers who were hungry from Capture the Flag. On his way back to his table, he dished some food into the fire. Here dad, take this as an offering, sorry you have such a pathetic son.

Alec's spirits low, he drooped back to his table and gulped up his food slowly. Throwing his dish away, he returned to his table and glanced around at the other tables where all the other campers were eating happily and enjoying their meal while chatting with their friends.

Alec scratched his neck and rubbed his hair, which was starting to dry. Alec was still cold from his encounter with the river but then the as Alec was looking around, he saw the haze again. At that moment, Alec knew it wasn't a coincidence. Looking up, he saw a thundercloud come into the sight. A shiver ran down Alec's spine and it wasn't because of the cold this time.

Apparently Alec wasn't the only one who noticed it because a whole bunch of campers were pointing to the sky now. It was so unusual for anything except for the sun to hover over Camp Half-Blood that even Chiron was surprised, but it wasn't a nice surprise, a look of pure terror mixed with déjà vu crossed the centaur's face.

"Venti–storm spirits!" Alec said suddenly, remembering what they were from his knowledge of Ancient Greece.

"You're right," Chiron narrowed his eyes and hushed the campers by clapping his hands together.

Alec looked behind him suddenly. The haze was getting thicker and he could spot small details that confirmed his prediction of storm spirits.

"Campers! We're skipping the bonfire, Dionysus isn't here so I'm in charge and that gives me the right to tell you to run back to your cabins, and grab your weapons. It's time to show me what you've been training for." Chiron's voice was calm but his expression told another story.

Alec gulped. He sat, frozen, in his seat, staring at the spirits surrounding him. They were whispering things in his ears that they shouldn't have been. They were things about his mother, things about when he was young, and things about his past.

"Alec Hawkins!" Chiron yelled, using his hands to guide confused campers to their cabins.

Alec stood up and walked to his cabin. Only when he was inside did the hypnotism pass. Alec looked at the mirror he had on his wall, built out of pure white bone and a mysterious glass that came from Tartarus.

As Alec stared in it, a ghostly white face appeared.

"Alec," The man said.

"Dad?" Alec squinted although he was only a foot or two away from the mirror. "Is that you?"

"Alec, there's no time. You guys are in danger; Dionysus was called back because the minor gods and goddesses are getting bitter. A type of Greek magic is coming back to life through them. There are to be two campers that are coming, you and they will be part of a prophecy to stop them. I hardly have any time, we have our own battles at Mt. Olympus." Although the voice was filled with static, it didn't stop Alec from having shivers at hearing his own father's voice so cold. It wasn't a mean cold, it was just a deathly cold.

Alec nodded, "but dad, how do we fight them?"

The face was starting to fade. "Start by defeating the spirits, there will be more attacks and they're all driven by the leader. His location is south and it's in Sunshine. Alec, all you have to remember is there's something following you and it'll do anything it can to kill you. There's only one way to defeat it…"

"Yeah?" Alec's face filled with worry. "How?"

"Listen, I have to go now, they've entered my territory and my troops are waiting for my command, you take care son, just remember, I'm always watching you so don't think I've ever abandoned you," the face turned to mist and a few tiny water droplets were left on the mirror. Instead of dripping down the crystal glass though, they turned into hard little pellets of bone and dropped form the mirror.

Alec imagined his father running off and directing a skeleton soldier in a military outfit and then jumping on a skeleton horse, leading more skeletons into battle. Shaking his head to clear his mind, his mind returned to the battle.

Slipping on his trustworthy armor, he grabbed his sword and ran out of his cabin, slamming the door after him.

"For Hades!" The teenage boy ran into the blood-filled havoc and disappeared.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

_Jayson Wynters_

Jayson was on the run… again.

The monsters kept on appearing out of trees and taunting him with the same words, telling him he should be able to defeat them easily. It was hard; Jayson had managed, using a boulder to whack them as they slithered out of trees.

The last foster home he'd been sent out had kicked him out when he was asked to make a salad for dinner and the salad flew everywhere, plastering itself permanently to the windows and landing straight on his foster parents' eyes and mouth.

They'd thought he'd purposely thrown it at them and super glued it to the window and kicked him out. Not wanting to return to the orphanage, he ran away.

It wasn't like he'd done the salad incident on purpose. He'd been angry with the kid who'd teased him of being an orphan and then suddenly it just all... flew everywhere!

As Jayson pounded through the forest, the bushes and branches parted when he touched them. It was strange and he didn't know why it was like that but he suspected it was because when he was young, his mom would take him out to the plants and show him how to take care of them, giving him a green thumb.

When he finally emerged from the forest, he was covered from head to toe in leaves, which didn't seem to want to leave him. Mud from the grass stuck in between his bare toes but when he frowned at it, it disappeared with a little whoosh.

Soon he got to a grassy hill and when he looked down, he saw a valley; behind that, though, was a camp. Jayson squinted and blinked, not believing his eyes; but when he opened them again, he realized it wasn't an illusion.

Jayson was always used to the monsters chasing him and escaping from foster homes that this took him by surprise. With a raise of his eyebrows, Jayson headed down the hill, deciding that a camp in the middle of nowhere had better be something good.

As his jogged down towards the camp, a goat came running at him. Or at least that's what Jayson thought it was. As it neared, Jayson stopped to stare–it wasn't a goat but instead it was a satyr.

"Stop!" The satyr's hooves clicked as he ran towards Jayson.

"What the–?" Jayson's voice trailed off.

"You're a half-blood!" The satyr exclaimed, his eyes wild and flashing.

"Yes, I am..Wait, what?" It was Jayson's turn to be excited but with curiosity, not excitement.

"If I can turn you in under my 'wing of protection'...," The satyr frowned, deep in thought. "Yes! That's what I'll do! Okay, here's our story. I found you and brought you to camp! Simple, right?" The satyr grinned cheekily at Jayson.

"What? No! You're a weird satyr so stop trying to make me lie and what's this about half-bloods?" Jayson protested, starting to walk away from the satyr. Creepy goat-guy, Jayson though to himself.

"You don't get it, do you?" The satyr started following Jayson.

"No I don't but I'm sure I'll figure it out without your help," Jayson rolled his eyes at the satyr.

"Okay, sure, but NO!" The satyr protested. "I have to be the one to turn you in!"

"Well, then, catch me if you can!" Jayson ran towards the camp, his feet barely touching the ground.

"Hey! Wait! Come back here!" The satyr ran after Jayson.

"Too bad, loser," Jayson picked up his speed, surprised at how fast the satyr could run.

"Well, that's not very nice. You've just upset your new best friend the satyr!" The satyr stopped and crossed his arms with a pout.

"You know, that's great!" Jayson smiled to himself, running off towards the camp.

"I can't believe you don't fall for that!" The satyr said grumpily, trailing Jayson.

Jayson looked up. He'd reached the camp and he was all sweaty. Grumbling, he used the back of his hand to mop the sweat out of his face and with the other, he finger-combed his blonde hair back over his head and out of his eyes.

"New camper!" A voice shouted, startling Jayson. It was only when he looked up did he realize there was a kid about his age in the trees.

Jayson raised his eyebrows and frowned, wary of kids who were starting to emerge and come closer to him.

No one heeded his question though. Campers started surrounding him with questions.

"Who are you?"

"Where did you come from?"

"Whose your Greek parent?"

"Why do you smell like flowers when you're all sweaty?"

Jayson tried to utter a response to all of them but it came out in a jumbled mess. The last one took him by surprise and Jayson realized that he did smell like flowers.

"Uh, I don't know," He said to a young redheaded boy.

"Do you have flower deodorant?" The boy asked and a whole bunch of campers giggled.

"No!" Jayson protested.

"Hey! Calm down!" Jayson looked to see a horse-guy clap his hands together as campers parted to make a space for him to walk towards Jayson.

Great. First a goat-guy, now a horse-guy, Jayson thought to himself. Just as he was about to ask who the horse-guy was, there came a yell, "I brought him here!"

Jayson's expression was filled with dismay as his not-such-a-good-friend satyr came running up.

"I swear, I don't know who he is! He came up to me and said that I had to say that he brought me to camp! I don't know who he is and I'm not friends with him!" Jayson said at once to the crowd, not wanting social embarrassment.

"Larry, go home!" A camper shouted with a laugh.

"Larry? My name's Jayson," Jayson said.

"Not you, the satyr. Larry's always trying to show off by lying and say he's brought a camper home," Another camper explained.

"Larry, off with you," The horse-guy said.

"Who exactly are you?" Jayson asked with a raise of his eyebrows at the horse-guy.

"I'm Chiron. I'm a centaur. I'm also the activities director of Camp Half-Blood," The centaur said, eyeing Jayson suspiciously.

"Uh...Okay?" Jayson said with a puzzled look.

"You'll understand later." A surprisingly calm and comforting voice arose from the crowd. The campers parted as a boy walked up and held out his hand.

"Alec Hawkins. Son of Hades," the boy had piercing blue eyes and wavy black hair.

"I'm Jayson Wynters. Hades...What's that?" Jayson's forehead creased.

Alec began leading Jayson up the slope as campers drifted back off to their activities, "I'll explain later. For now, I'll give you a tour of the camp. It's not that nice, let me tell you that because yesterday we were attacked by some storm spirits. Usually the camp has magical borders that work well in terms of stopping unwanted spirits or monsters from entering. This camp is home for kids like us who are half Greek god and half mortal. Oh, and excuse the small population of our campers. This year we've been pretty short. We usually have a hundred over campers and during the summer two or three hundred but now we're down to seventy."

"Woah, wind up. So I'm half-god, you say?" Jayson exclaimed.

"Pretty much. Unless you're half Greek goddess."

"So you're Hades?"

"Yeah, I don't know my mom but my dad is the Greek god of the underworld."

"Sweet!" Jayson exclaimed. "Is that...?"

"A climbing wall with lava falling from it? Yes. We have to train to be able to fight monsters so things get quite extreme around here," Alec explained.

"How old are you?" Jayson asked.

Alec seemed puzzled by the question. "Fifteen, why do you ask?"

"Well, you're saying teens like _our _age are learning to fight what you call monsters?"

"Mmm hmm. Are you...fourteen?"

"Yeah."

"You should be claimed at the bonfire tonight then. Most kids over thirteen are claimed in their first week 'cause of the oath they made with Percy."

"Percy?" Jayson asked.

"Yeah. My sort of older half-brother, Nico, was good friends with him. Percy was a half-blood too. Son of Poseidon. Anyways, it's a long story but he and some others defeated Kronos a few years back. He's married with another half-blood, Annabeth and lives at the Roman camp elsewhere."

"Okay," Jayson frowned. "What's that?"

"Those are the cabins. Half-bloods live or stay in the cabins according to their godly parent."

"So where do I stay if I don't know who my godly parent is," Jayson asked, imagining him in a sleeping bag, blue with cold, and shivering outside a few dozen warm cabins.

"You'll stay in the Hermes cabin. Hermes was the messenger god as well as the one who ruled the roads, thieves etc."

"Okay," Jayson agreed.

"But before we get you settled in, you need a weapon," Alec told him.

"Okay, but I still don't get this whole deal about Ancient Greece," Jayson frowned. He looked around and realized Alec was leading him to a shed with the word WEAPONS painted in red over it. It looked creepy and intimidating in a way but yet welcoming which was strange considering it was weapons–the item used for killing.

"Well, you learned about Ancient Greece at school, let me guess?"

"Yeah, I think so," Jayson was still confused.

"Well basically the Greek gods from the past lived in Greece where western civilization founded and then when it moved to places such as the U.S. right now, the gods followed. Stuff like Mt. Olympus is at the Empire State Building now and etc."

"Okay, I think I'll understand once I get a weapon," Jayson grinned and ducked under a sheet of wood that had fallen out of nowhere and was hanging by a rusty nail.

"Hmm...Bow and arrow?" Alec showed Jayson a bronze bow and a quiver of green feather tipped arrows.

"Nah," Jayson pursed his lips. It didn't seem to suit him.

"Wanna go for the swords? It's the most common and it's what I have," Alec gestured to his pure white sword sheathed to his side.

Jayson raised his eyebrows, "Suite. Let's try them out!"

"Here's one," Alec handed him a huge heavy celestial bronze sword.

"Too heavy," Jayson remarked.

"This one?" Alec handed him a light and thin one.

"Nah, doesn't work well with me," Jayson shrugged.

"Okay, well then let's look here; there's a whole bunch of swords over here," Alec gestured to a wooden box full of sharp swords.

No matter what sword Jayson tried, none of them seemed to fit him.

"Gun?" Alec flipped a few pistols in his hands and handed them to Jayson to try.

Jayson grinned, letting his fingers run over them. "I like it...," he wondered if this was the weapon for him.

"So, are you gonna give it a try?" Alec asked curiously.

"I guess I could," Jayson shrugged. "But I'd like to see the others too," He added.

"How about a dagger?" Alec spun a golden dagger on a wooden slated box, making a tiny hole appear in the top.

"Wow, that seems...," Jayson's voice trailed off.

"Perfect? Suiting?" Alec asked eagerly, happy that he might have found friend. Everyone at camp was cautious around him. Ever since they'd found out that he had Hades for a dad, they stopped being friends with him. Weird things happened to him; he didn't blame them. Having the god of death for a dad was a pretty sad thing.

The prospect of another camper not knowing about his rough past made him perk up. If he succeeded with Jayson, he might find a friend.


End file.
